By Anadolu staff
ISTANBUL (AA) - A South Korean court Wednesday sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison for his role in a failed attempt to impose martial law during the administration of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence in the first ruling confirming that the Dec. 3, 2024 martial law declaration constituted an insurrection, according to Yonhap News.
Han, 76, served as South Korea’s prime minister under Yoon, who was ousted from office last year for trying to impose martial law.
This ruling marks the first time a member of Yoon’s Cabinet has been convicted over the martial law attempt, which was disrupted by lawmakers who rushed to parliament and passed a motion against the ousted president's declaration.
Last week Yoon was also sentenced to five years in prison on charges that he obstructed investigators' attempt to detain him last year.
A special prosecutor, investigating the martial law case, has demanded the death penalty for Yoon over the insurrection charges. A court is set to rule on that case on Feb. 19.